1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to impact printers capable of printing a record on a paper medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Calculators and other machines requiring the printing of a record on a paper medium are known in the prior art which include various arrangements of acoustical noise suppression material for reducing unwanted noise which is mechanically generated during the printing process. For example, some calculators have included therein arrangements of foam or rubber to isolate the printer mechanism from the case of the calculator in an effort to reduce the transmission and reradiation of noise therefrom. Still other calculators are known in which the platen of the printer mechanism includes a plurality of discrete segmented strips of lead which absorb noise produced by the impact of print elements against the platen.
One problem with some prior known acoustic noise suppressors for printer mechanisms is that they are not sufficiently close to the point of impact of the print elements against the platen to suppress the noise radiating therefrom.
Another problem is that prior known printers having lead or other acoustical insulation placed at discrete locations along the length of the platen may not uniformly attenuate noise produced at locations on the platen intermediate the locations containing the lead or other insulating material.
Still another problem is that some prior known printers which are located in an exposed location on a calculator or other machine cannot effectively be made to attenuate noise produced by the impact of print elements against the platen by surrounding the printer with noise-absorbing foam.